AT LAST COMES LOVE (HUXTABLE QUINTET #3) – MARY BALOGH

Only desperation could bring Duncan Pennethorne, the infamous Earl of Sheringford, back home after the spectacular scandal that had shocked even the jaded ton. Forced to wed in fifteen days or be cut off without a penny, Duncan chooses the one woman in London in frantic need of a husband. A lie to an old flame forces Margaret Huxtable to accept the irresistible stranger’s offer. But once she discovers who he really is, it’s too late—she’s already betrothed to the wickedly sensual rakehell. Quickly she issues an ultimatum: If Duncan wants her, he must woo her. And as passion slowly ignites, two people marrying for all the wrong reasons are discovering the joys of seduction—and awaiting the exquisite pleasure of what comes after….

Spoiler Warning! This review may contain spoilers relating to earlier books in the series. If you haven’t read the earlier books and are not looking to have them spoiled for you I’d suggest not reading this.

"We lie to convince the world, and to convince ourselves, that we are something that we are not..."

Once more, Mary Balogh delivers a completely swoon worthy romance that I could not stand to put down. At Last Comes Love is the third book in the Huxtable Quintet and the best one yet!

Magaret Huxtable, a woman well past her youth and marriageable years in the eyes of the ton, is on the hunt for a fiancé. When her embarrassing reunion with a former love who left her for war and married another forces her to lie about being betrothed, Margaret’s chances of finding love seem out of reach forever.
Duncan Pennethorne, the notorious wife-stealer, was cast out from the ton and polite society after running off with his betrothed married sister on the morning of their wedding. Presented with an ultimatum that could mean his inheritance, home and what remained of his standing in society, Duncan must find himself a respectable wife, and in a very limited time.
When the pair cross paths Margaret risks everything to give Duncan a chance. But marriage doesn’t always mean love and, as their secrets pile up, they begin to question if any content marriage can survive without trust.

Following the dislike-turned-love cliché that I absolutely adore, At Last Comes Love filled me with so many happy feelings that I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.
Margaret is probably the sweetest person in the world. These Huxtables are beautiful people and I feel like Margaret is the best of them. They aren’t shallow, they never judge others and they have such forgiving hearts. Once again, I loved every moment I could get of the Huxtable siblings, particularly of Vanessa and Katherine with their husbands being super adorable. Duncan is also the biggest sweetheart – he is kind of the perfect man. With a heart full of love, completely loyal to those he cares for and always worried that people don’t like him, all I wanted was for Duncan to see how many people loved him. He’s one of those tortured souls who does anything he can to be good but never thinks it is enough.

"Did true love exist? Life would be very sad if it did not exist... Actually, it would be unbearable if the disappointments of romantic love turned a person into an incurable cynic. "

As a couple, these two are a perfect fit. They are so trusting and caring and wish the best for everyone. Given a hard hand to play, Margaret and Duncan have a love story worth sticking around for. I feel because Margaret is such a rational and responsible person that the plot, which fits so well with her personality is the best fit for this book. The way their relationship plays out is adult and realistic but never once falls short on the heart-soaring romance that we all came for.

Perhaps my favourite thing about this book is that you don’t have to work really hard to get into it. Slow paced with a drawn out romance that sucked me in seamlessly, the book was a joy to read and I loved being able to experience their love building gradually. Some may find this bland and slow but I think of it more as real, as true romance.

At Last Comes Love is a must read for any lover of historical fiction!